State Champ Radio Carl Weathers
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Source: Gerardo Mora / Getty / Carl Weathers
The world lost an icon in Carl Weathers last week, but fans will still see the late actor one last time, thanks to a FanDuel Super Bowl commercial.
Spotted on Variety, FanDuel says it will still air the Super Bowl spot featuring Carl Weathers. Leading up to this weekend’s big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, the sports betting company has been airing teasers for its big game spot that stars Weathers alongside retired NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The teasers follow the NFL champion as he gears up for the Kick of Destiny 2, where viewers can watch him attempt to make a 25-yard field goal, and America can bet on if he either misses or makes it.
Last year, Gronkowski missed the kick, but in the teasers, he gets some encouragement from Weathers in the teaser where he scoops up the NFL analyst on a motorcycle with a sidecar.
Some Changes To Commercial Will Be Made
Variety reports that after initially saying it would make adjustments to the commercial, FanDuel says it will run the ads and make some changes so that it will be appropriate. “The family has been very supportive that they would still like to see Carl in the work,” Andrew Sneyd, FanDuel’s executive vice president of marketing, said after consulting with Weather’s family.
Sneyd continues, “We need to change what we are doing in the Bowl. The live event itself carries forward and as is. Rob will kick the field goal, and he will be even more inspired to make it. He really enjoyed meeting Carl and found him to be such an optimistic and energetic person.”
“We had built a master. One is an edit if he makes the kick, and we have an edit if he misses. That content we had in those masters wouldn’t be appropriate for us to do anymore,” Sneyd adds. “Since the news of Carl’s passing came, we have been working with editors to help us get back to something that does make sense.” FanDuel, he adds, is in contact with Weathers’ family “to make sure they are comfortable.”
He continues, “Such work has been difficult. We have been viewing edits through tears. We really enjoyed the short time we had to work with him. He’s a wonderful man, and he genuinely is an inspiration and had such a positive outlook on the world. We want to make sure we try to meet this moment with the respect it deserves.”
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Source: Eric Charbonneau / Getty
Carl Weathers—the actor famed for roles such as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise and the eponymous character Action Jackson—has passed away. He was 76.
On Friday (Feb. 2), Weathers’ family announced his passing.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” said his family in a statement. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”
Beloved is an understatement. Weathers’ filmography is filled with cult classic flicks where he left an indelible mark on audiences. Some of those include portraying Colonel Al Dillon in Predator (1987), Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky (1976) films, Derick “Chubbs” Peterson in Happy Gilmore (1996) and Jericho “Action” Jackson in Action Jackson (1988) on the big screen as well as Police Chief Hampton Forbes on television’s In The Heat Of The Night from 1993 to 1995
Most recently, Weathers received acclaim for portraying Greef Karga in the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian across its three seasons and earned an Emmy nomination for the role in 2021.
Weathers was born on January 14, 1948 in New Orleans and was a talented high school and college athlete, playing football for San Diego State University. After a short-lived pro football career, he started pursuing acting, with one his earliest parts being an appearance on Good Times.
Social media is paying respects to the esteemed actor, and we’ve collected some tributes, and fan favorite film moments in the gallery. Rest in powerful peace Carl Weathers.
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